At the exclamation Nicole, Sam and Harrison all looked up and spotted Mary Cherry and Brooke standing in what could only be described as complete shock - with the added emotion of complete irritation coming from Brooke.
The momentary silence that briefly descended following Mary Cherry's sudden exclamation was broken after Bella, Lindsay and Dave all shared a look of confusion that prompted Dave to ask the question that all three of them were thinking. "So, who exactly is Joe?"
Rolling his eyes Harrison gave another long-suffering sigh, before responding with, "That would be me."
Dave then looked from Harrison to Mary Cherry, to Brooke who was glaring at Nic and Sam, to Sam and Nic who were smirking, to Bella and Lindsay who had matching looks of even deeper confusion before settling on the person who started it all, Mary Cherry. "So, if you don't mind I actually I have a couple of questions still. One, why do you call him Joe? I thought his name was Harrison, and two, why is the pixie stick glaring at Samantha and Nic?"
And that was it, the pin had been dropped and the entire table was once again laughing.
Mary Cherry for her part briefly considered answering her question before she realized that she didn't exactly have an answer to it so she decided to just go with it and sat down at the quickly crowding table. As for Brooke... well, it looked as if Brooke might be developing a rather unfortunate eye twitch...
"Excuse me?!"
"Yess...?" Dave drawled out slyly, causing smirks to instantly appear on Nicole and Bella's face while Lindsay quietly chuckled at what was about to come. After all, one of the things Nic loved about Dave was that he was essentially the male version of her. `Oh yes,' they all thought, `this would be interesting'.
"Do I even know you? What the hell is your problem! Where do you get off calling me a pixie stick?"
Dave looking properly chastised with a smirk that didn't quite fit with the rest of his facade said, "Oh I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to offend you. I mean, I figured you knew you strongly resembled a pixie stick. Why, if I had one I'd hold it up next to you to plead my case." This... caused Harrison to choke on the drink he had been starting to drink out of and everyone else to try to stifle laughs. Well everyone but Brooke... whose face was quickly attempting to match the color of her red top.
"You know what, you're right. I am rather skinny." Brooke said then paused, however for the people who knew her, they all mistook the pause as an actual admission and agreement of what was being said and were shocked.
Unfortunately for them and Brooke she wasn't quite finished. "And so yeah, I could see where you would make the comparisons. Especially since when looking at you I get the feeling like I'm meeting the biggest fairy to ever walk the earth. And to think, people actually think fairies are a thing of myth."
Glancing around the table Brooke saw the absolute shock on everyone's faces, including Mary Cherry, not to mention the utter disgust on Sam's face. However, her gaze stopped on Bella who looked about ready to punch her in the face if she would only step within the other girl's reach. Feeling slightly cocky now that she was on a roll, she dug that hole she was in a little bit deeper. Staring directly at Bella and locking eyes with the girl, Brooke said,
"Go on, I dare you. All I would need after that would be a couple of minutes with the manager before I had your ass fired."
To say Brooke was confused by all of the menace leaving Bella's eyes only to be followed by laughter and mirth would be a complete and total understatement. "And what the hell do you find so funny!" To put things quite mildly, Brooke was quickly becoming beyond frustrated.
After sharing a quick look with Nicole, Bella stated, "Well... Pixie, is it? I just find it amusing that you think my boss would take your side in anything after witnessing everything you just said and did."
Losing a bit of her confidence, Brooke quickly looked around, obviously trying to spot the manager of the club. However, after determining that Bella was just blowing hot air to intimidate her, she quickly regained it all and said,
"Oh really, and just where is this boss of yours then?" Brooke looked back at the table and realized that now not only was Bella smirking, but everyone...including Mary Cherry... were smirking back at her.
Brooke quickly looked at Nicole when she suddenly cleared her throat only to look back at Dave who was now laughing. "You honestly don't know? God, you look like one and you have the IQ of one as well." Again, causing Bella to laugh out right as well.
"If it's so damn obvious then who is it!" Brooke all but snarled.
"Well, Brookie, that would be me wouldn't it? I mean, the place is called Satan's Lair." Nic said with a cat-that-ate-the-canary-and-got-away-with-it grin. "And you know Brooke, Bella was quite right. There's no way in hell I'd fire her for doing something everyone at this table wanted to do to you as soon as you opened your mouth. Now, I've matured a little since high school, so I won't be kicking you out of my club. After all, I'm no where near modest and I know this place kicks ass. So why don't you go on upstairs or to the other side of the room - I don't care which - and leave me and my friends alone."
The shock Brooke was feeling was absolute, but slowly gave way to anger at how nonchalantly she was being dismissed. "Whatever! Come on Mary Cherry! Let's just go somewhere else!"
Hearing her name, Mary Cherry looked up at Brooke only a tad bit guiltily and said, "Well, um actually Brookie, I thought I might catch up with Nikkie a bit... after all this is a fabulous club. But I'll catch up with you in a little bit and then we can leave, ok?"
Hearing this, Brooke's shoulders slumped slightly before going straight back up. "You know what? Don't bother Mary Cherry. I'm going home." Brooke then turned around and walked away quickly being swallowed by the constantly moving mass on the dance floor.
After a couple moments of stunned silence, it was all broken once again by Mary Cherry. "So Joe...When did you and that geek... what was his name, Nikkie? Oh yeah! Fred Kong… break up?"
This statement caused Harrison to look at her as if she had grown an extra head. "You know about me and Freddy Gong?"
"Well duh! Ya'll were only making out in front of the whole school at graduation!"
This was all it took to send the generally pale Harrison into a blush that made everyone wonder if his blood pressure could withstand it. Taking in the sight, Dave was just on the verge of asking who exactly this Freddy Gong was when he was interrupted by Sam suddenly standing up.
"I'm sorry guys, she was a total bitch and completely out of line, but she's kind of my sister. I'll be right back."
Sam was just about to run after Brooke when she saw the insecurity filter through Nic's eyes before it was quickly being replaced by a look of practiced nonchalance Sam had seen many times during High School.
Sitting back down for a moment, Sam caressed Nicole's face before whispering in her ear. "I love you baby. Never doubt that, you are absolutely second to none. I just want to make sure she has the money to catch a cab home. I'm coming right back to you. Look at me Nic. I need you to know that you never have anything to worry about. Not where we're concerned."
Sam waited as Nic locked eyes with her. When Nic finally turned to face Sam her heart melted and she felt some of her anger for Brooke flare up again at the light mist she saw in Nic's eyes. Sam then gently kissed Nicole's lips before once again addressing the whole table. "Alright, I'll be right back" She then turned and followed the path Brooke had taken moments ago.
After Sam ran off, it was as if the table was in a bubble of silence that had everyone glancing at Nicole trying to decide whether or not it would be safe to comment on what just happened. As if on general consensus they all silently decided that it was in fact NOT in their best interest to mention Sam's departure and the conversation was quickly started with Dave's burning curiosity.
"So, who exactly is this Freddy Gong? I need to know what all potential competition is like. 'Know thy enemy' and all that rot, right?" And so the tension was completely broken. Well for everyone, but Nic who couldn't relax until Sam was back with her.
*****
"Brooke!" Sam yelled out just as Brooke was about to blindly walk into the street that was still very busy with traffic. "What the hell was with you back there!? The things you said were completely uncalled for and highly embarrassing for those of us that know you. Including Mary Cherry."
Brooke for her part knew this already. She had started realizing this as soon as Mary Cherry turned away from her back in the club and really, all she really wanted at this point was to wallow in her self pity and not get chewed out from Sam on the side walk. "Oh, is that so Sam?! Well guess what? I'm sure all you have to do is go down there and explain to them that I'm a complete basket case and they'll forgive you for your association with me."
"Oh Brooke believe me they already think you are." Sighing and shaking her head, Sam hadn't meant for that biting comment to come out. She hadn't meant to start yelling at Brooke at all, but she was pretty damn frustrated with things as they were as well. "Look, this isn't the time or the place for the heart to heart you so clearly need. But I need for you to understand something. I'm with Nicole. I love her with all of my heart. I always have and I always will. If you respect me at all, respect that. And leave us alone."
Digging into her pocket Sam pulled out some money, "Here, this should be about fifty dollars. I think that's more then enough money to get you back to the Palace."
And with that Sam turned around, feeling suddenly drained, she needed to be near Nicole. However, hearing Brooke mumble something she paused and turned around. "What was that?"
"I'm sorry." Brooke mumbled.
Sam simply shook her head. "Not only am I not the one who you truly need to apologize to, but it doesn't even touch the iceberg of it all."
Looking down, Brooke not sure how to reply, simply said, "I know."
The sudden change in Brooke was in all honesty giving her a migraine that was kept to a dull roar by the knowledge that Nicole was waiting for her in the club. Sam finally sighed, "The problem with your apology Brooke is that it's hollow and brought on by your embarrassment rather then any real feelings of guilt. However if you're serious, you and Nic are going to have to have a long talk. Hell, we're all going to need that long talk I think, but now is neither the time or the place."
******
Fifteen minutes later Sam was finally rejoining the mötley crew of friends in the bottom half of the club, to the sounds of Dave giving commentary. "Well if it isn't the long lost Samantha returning to be with the Fairies, the Bitch, the Closet Case, and Satan herself! How does it feel to be in such a story?"
Sam simply rolled her eyes and said, "You know what? You are slightly irritating at times. You and Harrison are going to be great for each other."
Causing the others to chuckle before going off into their own conversations, as if sensing that Sam and Nic needed a moment.
Looking to Nicole's eyes, Sam leaned her forehead against hers and simply stared in her eyes for moment. "I love you." Sam whispered.
"I know." Nic whispered back, before smiling for the first time since Sam had left to go chase after Brooke. Which now, Nic mused to herself as she leaned in for another kiss, felt like a lifetime ago.
After a brief moment, Sam and Nic were interrupted by Bella throwing peanuts at them.
"Hey, lovebirds! Mistress or no Mistress, you two aren't allowed to be all cutesy in front of me until Lindsay leaves the land of denial and agrees to be with me instead of just giving me those cute come hither eyes. I mean really! She gives me the eyes of longing, but when I come to her, she runs away! So yeah! Until Bella is getting kisses, too, you two... Oh and Harrison and Dave same goes for you to... Until I'm getting kisses too, you four aren't allowed to do it either!"
Seeing the only slightly joking look, Bella was sending all of them had everyone laughing except for a blushing Lindsay and a semi serious Bella.
However, telling Dave not to do anything very much translated to 'do it', prompting him to instantly. So with a shrug he leaned over and gave Harrison a quick peck, before grinning impishly at Bella while Harrison fought a loosing battle with yet another blush. Sending them all into another round of loud laughter, that was only broken by Merry Cherry's shout of, "Ah Joe! Who would have thought you'd make such a cute little gay boy?!"